Syria quake relief a headache for Western nations and aid groups

France 24 ^

[FarCenter]

Paris (AFP) – An earthquake that has killed more than 5,000 people in Turkey and its southern neighbour Syria is proving a diplomatic headache for those seeking to channel aid to Syrians.

Still gripped by more than a decade of civil war, Syria is divided into areas controlled by the government under President Bashar al-Assad, for years a pariah for the West; rebel-held regions dominated by jihadists or pro-Turkish factions; and a swathe of land held by semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities.

France and Germany are among world powers that have rushed to pledge help after the massive 7.8-magnitude quake on early Monday.

While access to Turkey is not an issue, aid groups and Western nations are grappling with the complicated logistics of sending emergency assistance to Syria, especially the rebel areas outside government control.

"Syria is still a grey zone from a legal and diplomatic standpoint," said Marc Schakal, in charge of Syria operations for the French charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Around half of the Syrians affected by the earthquake live in areas controlled by the Damascus regime, which is under Western sanctions.

The other half live in the Idlib region, the country's last major bastion of opposition, and adjacent parts of Aleppo province held by Turkey-backed rebels on the Turkish border.

Both areas are home to some four million people, many dependant on humanitarian handouts after being displaced by the conflict.

Raphael Pitti, a doctor with the French non-governmental organisation Mehad, said aid for Idlib was now more crucial than ever as "the situation of the population was already dramatic" before the quake.

[xp38]

Send aid to Turkey and let Syria get aid from it’s arab cousins.

[dfwgator]

My fear is this will trigger another refugee crisis in Europe.

[Graybeard58]

As a tax payer................ Not my problem.